Roy sworn in as Meghalaya governor

Tathagata Roy on Saturday took oath of office and secrecy as the new governor of Meghalaya at Raj Bhavan here.

By Rining Lyngdoh

Published 26.08.18

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Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court Mohammad Yaqoob Mir administers the oath of office to Tathagata Roy at Raj Bhavan in Shillong on Saturday

Shillong: Tathagata Roy on Saturday took oath of office and secrecy as the new governor of Meghalaya at Raj Bhavan here.

He was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court Mohammad Yaqoob Mir.

Roy, 73, who was earlier the governor of Tripura, said, "I had set my mind to stay in Tripura for three years ... but coming to Meghalaya and Shillong in particular is like homecoming."

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by chief minister Conrad K. Sangma, ministers, Congress MP Vincent H. Pala, police officers and state officials besides BJP leaders and a few RSS functionaries. No MLA from the Opposition Congress was, however, seen at the function.

Roy has a close association with Shillong as he spent his childhood here and his younger brother, Saugata Roy, an MP from West Bengal, was born here.

"Moving from Tripura to Meghalaya, I was a little sad because I had set my mind to stay there for three years. But I am happy because I had spent my early childhood here and my younger brother Saugata was born here at the Ganesh Das Government Hospital. I know this city like the back of my hand all the way from Garikhana to Happy Valley," Roy said.

My cousin Heralal Roy was a renowned professor at St Anthony's College here. I have a close attachment to this place and I am very happy," he added.

Lamenting at the change that Shillong had undergone, the governor recalled that the city used to be free of traffic jam.

"The look of the city has changed. When we were children, there was no traffic jam. There were all Assam-type buildings. I would like to address these architectural wonders in Shillong at some point of time. Inspite of everything, Shillong is Shillong and I love it," Roy said.

Asked how he, as a governor, would address the traffic problem, Roy said, "It is difficult to say so early. I know traffic jams because I worked with the Calcutta metro project for close to 18 years and I know a few things about traffic."

Roy is a former professor of construction engineering at Jadavpur University in Calcutta. "To my mind, Shillong's topography is such that we cannot widen roads to a large extent and cannot build flyovers. What can be done under such circumstances as far as I can see is, to emphasise on public transport," he said.